Ergonomic seating unit

ABSTRACT

An ergonomic seating unit is disclosed for promoting active and dynamic sitting and eliminating fatigue resulting from extended sitting. The seating unit comprises a substantially egg-shaped, or ball-shaped, fluid filled, deformable balloon forming a flexible, mobile seat which conforms to the shape of a user when sat upon, and a main frame for loosely containing the flexible balloon being freely removable from the main frame when the seating unit is unoccupied and being movably wedged in place by the main frame when the seat is occupied.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This is an improvement application of Swiss Patent Ser. No. CH 679444,Date of Patent: Feb. 28, 1992, U.S. Pat. No. 6,070,943, Date of Patent:Jun. 6, 2000 and Swiss Patent Ser. No. CH 690394, Date of Patent: Aug.31, 2000.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to an ergonomically designedseating unit which naturally exercises the body by providing activesitting and, more particularly, to such an ergonomically designedseating unit which employs a fluid-filled, substantially egg-shaped, orball-shaped seat, which promotes continuous movement of the spine, hipsand upper body.

2. Background Discussion

Increasingly, scholars, students and workers are required to spendprolonged periods seated at a learning place, or a workstation. As aresult, the potential for back, shoulder and neck problems hasconsiderably increased. This is particularly true when seated in aconventional chair having a rigid seat which, with prolonged use,restricts blood circulation to the legs and does not allow for constantsmall movements of the spine, hips and arms. These small movements,herein referred to as “active sitting” or “dynamic sitting”, areespecially beneficial in reducing or preventing pains in the upper body.

Children, while in growth, are especially endangered in this respect,and if not properly seated, can catch permanent damage to their body. Tothem the principle of “active sitting” applies therefore especially.

It is known to provide conventional students chairs or office chairswith mechanical arrangements for adjusting the seat height, seatposition and backrest position. However, such mechanic devices needperiodic servicing, are susceptible to breakage and require a goodunderstanding of ergonomics for proper use. While ergonomically correctbackrests, when applied to such students or office chairs, cansubstantially help to reduce back pain, they do not offer a solution toan event more frequent problem caused by tension and pain in the neckand shoulder area.

One proposed solution to address the above-noted problems associatedwith the conventional rigid-seat chair is the use of a gymnastics ballas a chair. The ball, typically made of plastic, is well suited forexercising, but does not have the required stability for prolonged useas a chair, nor necessarily the proper dimensions essential for office,school and/or other workstation labor. Users typically complain of theneed to constantly balance their body on the ball which, if not properlycarried out, can lead to accidents, such as falling off the ball.

Other proposed solutions are inflatable chairs, distribution ofpressurized fluid to a seating unit, or other improvement to chairs andupholstered furniture. All those proposals offer only a limitedhorizontal and vertical movement, need air pumps or compressors, do nothave castors and are generally not adapted for work at a desk or atable.

Thus, there is a need to provide an improved seating unit that ensuresactive sitting, optimal sitting position, stability, versatility,variability, mobility and simplicity, yet does not possess theshortcomings of the seating devices presently employed.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide animproved seating unit that ensures active sitting, optimal sittingpositions for use at a desk, table or workstation and imparts a feelingof stability to the user.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedseating unit which is adjustable to offer different sitting positionsusing an easy and simple arrangement which eliminates the need toutilize mechanical or electrical devices, such as hydraulic pistons,levers, air pumps, compressors, or similar devices.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improvedseating unit that can be mounted and dismounted easily and quickly andcan thus be transported from one location to another.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedseating unit that is versatile such that the seat of the improvedseating unit can be used separately for purposes other than sitting, forexample, for playing, gymnastics exercises, relaxation and otherexercises.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedseating unit that has such a light weight that it can easily be carriedfrom place to place. Yet another object of the present invention is toprovide an improved seating unit that can be equipped with an elastictextile cover which adapts itself to the changing size of the seat, thusimproving sitting comfort.

An important advantage of the present invention is that the userexperiences continuously slight movements of the spine, the hips and theupper body. In this way, pains and tensions caused by a rigid sittingposition can be prevented.

Another advantage of the present invention is that the sitting positioncan be customized and individually tailored for an individuals user byinflating the balloon by mouth, or deflating it by hand, or changing theposition of the armrest, or of the sliding base to the balloon, withoutthe need for any mechanical or electric devices. The balloon is heldfirmly in place by the surrounding connecting elements as soon as theuser sits on it and exerts pressure on the seat.

Yet another advantage of the present invention is that it grants theuser the known advantages of active and dynamic sitting and at the sametime, owing to the rigid frame, the sensation of stability, essentialfor comfortable, prolonged sitting. Still another advantage of thepresent invention is that by providing a soft seat, which automaticallyadjusts itself to fit exactly to the body shape of the user, painsconnected with lower body distress are reduced. Since the soft seat hasno edges, blood circulation in the legs is not hindered by the softseat.

Yet another advantageous feature of the present invention is that theelastic cover is fitted tightly to the balloon and, by dividing betweenthe user's body and the seat surface, reduces perspiration under hotconditions.

Another advantage of the present invention is that the seat surface canbe taken out of the seat simply and quickly by hand and used for otherpurposes, like a toy for children, or gymnastics and other exercises.Afterwards it can be placed back easily in the frame serving as a seatagain.

Still another advantage of the present invention is that it is durableand completely free of maintenance.

Yet another advantage of the present invention is that it can be easilyand quickly assembled and disassembled into its small and flatcomponents. In this way the transport from one location to another ismade very easy and convenient.

These and other objects, advantages and features of tho presentinvention are achieved, according to one embodiment thereof, by anergonomic seating unit comprising a main frame having a rigid side frameand a stable bottom frame equipped with a sliding base in which a mobileseat is inserted. The mobile seat can be moved significantly in alldirections when the chair is occupied, the mobile seat comprising aninflated ball shaped balloon formed of, for example a rubber orthermoplastic material.

The frame is formed, for example, of steel or other suitable metals andcomprises: 1) an oval or U shaped upper frame, which can be surroundedby upholstery, and serves as backrest and armrest, 2) a round or starshaped lower frame equipped with traversal tubes or a sliding base forthe seat surface and 3) vertical tubes which connect the upper frame tothe lower frame. The whole structure is held together by suitablefasteners, such as for example bolts or screws or the like. Anadditional flexible backrest, possessing a rectangular or oval shape canbe attached to the middle vertical connecting tube. This flexiblebackrest is also adjustable horizontally and vertically.

The foregoing and other objects, advantages and features of the presentinvention will no doubt become more apparent to those skilled in the artafter having read the following detailed description of the preferredembodiments of the present invention, which are contained andillustrated by the various Drawing Figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a complete seat unitconstructed in accordance with the mentioned improvements of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view revealing the complete frame of the seatunit illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an axial, partial cross-section view illustrating theconnection between the horizontal tube of the lower frame, the verticalconnecting tube and the sliding base for the seat surface.

FIG. 4 is an axial, partial cross-section view illustrating theconnection between both parts of a vertical connecting tube, constructedas a telescopic tube with variable length;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a complete seat unitconstructed in accordance with the mentioned improvements of the presentinvention and equipped with an additional flexible backrest;

FIG. 6 is a schematic front view of an additional flexible backrest;

FIG. 7 is a schematic side elevation view of an additional flexiblebackrest connected to the middle vertical tube contained in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 8 is a schematic front view of an elastic seat cover.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

Referring now to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, one embodiment of ergonomic seatingunit of the present invention, generally indicated as 13, isillustrated. The ergonomic seating unit includes a main frame, at 14,comprising for example a metal construction, made of anodized or coatedmetal tubes. The main frame 14 comprises a circular lower frame 10equipped with castors or glides 6, a sliding base for the seat surface3, an upper frame 4 padded with foam, rubber or similar material 9, andvertical tubes 1, 7 and 8, which connect the lower and upper frames 4,10 respectively to one another. As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, thevertical tubes are also hosting the sliding base for the seat surface,which is fixed to the vertical tubes 1, 7 and 8 by the means of 3 boltsor screws.

The seating unit 13 further includes a egg-shaped, or ball-shapedinflated rubber or plastic balloon 2 serving as the seat surface. Whenthe user sits on balloon 2, pressure is exerted by his body weight onthe balloon 2 which expands sideways, thereby wedging itself firmlywithin the cage formed space delineated by the connecting tubes 1, 7 and8 and the sliding base for the seat surface 3. When the user stands up,pressure is relieved and the balloon 2 assumes its original egg-shape orball-shape. As a result, the balloon 2 can be easily removed from themain frame 14 and used for other purposes, such as, for example, playingor exercising.

Connected to the circular lower frame 10 is the sliding base for theseat surface 3, which is bolted to the vertical tubes 1, 7 and 8, asbest seen in FIG. 2, and FIG. 3. The circular lower frame 10 is equippedwith, for example at least five castors or glides 6, providing mobility,the castors or glides 6 bolted to frame 10, so the castors or glides 6can be easily dismounted, allowing for easy replacement or transport ofthe seating unit 13. The castors 6 may be all equipped with brakes or bewithout brakes or be a mixture of both types, depending on the frictionof the floor applied, thus minimizing accident risk.

As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the connecting tubes 1, 7 and 8 are fixedto the lower frame 10 and the upper frame 4, respectively by bolts 102.Each of the connecting tubes 1, 7 and 8 has, at the top and the bottomthereof, an insert 101, that is pressed, rolled or welded into thetubes. The holes for the bolts 102 are punched at the top of the upperframe 4 and the bottom of the lower frame 10 in order to sink the headof the bolt 102 into the tube of the upper frame 4 and the bottom of thelower frame 10 in order to sink the head of the bolt 102 into the tubeof the lower frame 10 and the tube of the upper frame 4.

The seating unit 13 can be fitted optimally to the size and measurementsof the user by providing it with different sized balloons 2 and changingthe length of the connecting tubes 1, 7 and 8, or, as a variance,providing a telescopic tube arrangement as best seen in FIG. 4. With thesaid arrangement tube 18 slides within the connecting tubes 1, 7 and 8vertically. Tube 18 is equipped with a nut 403, having an insert forexample made of rubber or thermoplastic material 404. When nut 403 istightened on the connecting tubes 1, 7 and 8 respectively, the insert404 tightens tube 18 by friction and the upper frame 4 is fixed at acertain requested height according to the size and measurements of theuser. Balloon 2 possesses a simple plug 15 inserted in a hole at itsbottom and can be inflated easily by mouth. When inflating, the plug 15is pulled out of the hole and inserted again, when the desired pressurein the balloon 2 is reached. By inflating the balloon 2 to a desiredpressure, the sitting height, as well as the softness of the seat formedby the balloon 2 of the seating unit 13, is adjusted until the optimalposition for the user is provided.

Deflating balloon 2 occurs in the opposite way to the descriptionbefore. The plug 15 is pulled out of the hole, air is let out and theplug 15 is inserted again, when the desired pressure in the balloon 2 isreached, again to reach the optimal sitting position for the user.Balloon 2 can also be inflated analogously by mechanical or electricaldevices, like an air pump, or compressor, if preferred.

In an occupied state, the top of the balloon 2 adapts itself exactly tothe body shape of the sitting person, preventing sharp edges, thusproviding optimal blood circulation in the legs of the user. Further theballoon 2 automatically provides in an occupied condition of the seatingunit 13, significant, yet controlled movements in all directions.However, upper frame 4 limits these movements, thus providing the userwith the feeling of stability.

Pad 9 of upper frame 4 is made, for example of a hollow tube of foamrubber or similar material which is split along the underside, so thatit can be easily mounted by pushing it down onto frame 4. The pad 4 canbe covered by textile, leather or plastic materials of various qualitiesand patterns, thus fitting the upper frame 4 to the comfort demands ofthe user. The pad 9 can also be easily removed, or replaced by anotherpattern or quality, by simply pulling it away from frame 4.

By removing the six bolts 102, the whole sitting unit 13 can be easilyand quickly disassembled into flat and light components, thus allowingfor easy transportation to other locations.

Referring now to FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, an additional flexible backrest,generally seen at 16, is shown which comprises an arched rectangular oroval shaped support 11, connected to arm 112 by one or more elasticdampers 111, the damper 111 being made of rubber or similar material,which allow for horizontal movement in all directions of support 11.

Elastic damper is fixed to support 11 and arm 112 by, for example, abolt and nut combination. The damper 111 can also be riveted to support11. As best seen in FIG. 7, the arm 112 is provided with a verticalupper plate 115 equipped with one or more holes utilized to connect arm112 to damper(s) 111. Arm 112 also possesses a vertical bottom plate 114that is equipped with a hole, allowing the arm 112 to be connected bybolt 113 to vertical tube 1. The vertical tube 1 has several horizontalholes drilled into it thus allowing for various height adjustmentpositions of support 11.

As a variance, the height of support II can be adjusted by aconventional vertical slide, used with office chairs, the slideconnected to arm 112 or to vertical tube 1. Support 11 can bemanufactured of different materials, such as, for example, wood,plywood, plastic or metal and can be furnished in upholstered version.

Referring now to FIG. 8, a cover, generally shown at 17 for covering atleast the sitting surface of the ball shaped balloon 2 comprises a roundtop panel 21 and a round bottom panel 22. The panels 21, 22 areconnected to one another and secured by one or more elastic strings 23.Top panel 21 serves as an addition to the sitting surface of balloon 2,separating the rubber or plastic material of balloon 2 from the body ofthe user, thus reducing perspiration and increasing friction betweensitting partition of user and the seat surface.

In this way comfort sitting and perception of security are increased.Bottom panel 22 serves as counterpart to top panel 21, in order to holdtop panel 21 firmly in the requested position with the aid of elasticstrings 23. Panels 21 and 22 are identical and thus interchangeable.These panels 21, 22 are preferably 21, 22 are preferably made of textilecloth thus allowing for fast evaporation of moisture. Strings 23 arepreferably made of rubber or similar elastic material. The strings 23can be made of one piece and tied together at the end, or made ofseveral pieces, the pieces having, for example hooks at both ends.

Panels 21 and 22 are equipped, for example, with reinforced holes 24serving as guides and fastening device for strings 23.

Accordingly, the ergonomic seating unit of the present invention isprovided with an entirely mobile seat that promotes active sitting and astationary frame that promotes stability for the user. The seating unitis designed in such a way that it offers an anatomically correct activesitting position. The seating unit further allows for comfortable andstable sitting and can be adjusted according to the measures of theindividual user.

By sitting on a soft surface of the seat of the ergonomic seating unitof the present invention, blood circulation in the legs is optimal. Withelbows resting on the armrest and at the same time providing a mobileseat partition, the relaxation of the back, shoulder and neck partitionof the user is secured. The seating unit of the present invention isuniquely differentiated from other existing seating units by the factthat it provides a secure and absolutely new sensation of sitting.

What I claim is:
 1. An ergonomic seating unit for promoting activesitting, the seating unit comprising: a substantially spherical-shaped,fluid filled, deformable balloon forming a flexible, mobile seat whichconforms to a shape of a user when sat upon; and a main frame forloosely containing the flexible balloon within the main frame, theflexible balloon being freely removable from the main frame when theseating unit is unoccupied and being moveably wedged in place by themain frame when the seating unit is occupied, wherein the main framecomprises: a lower frame; an substantially U-shaped upper frame; and atleast three vertical connecting tubes for connecting the lower and upperframes to one another, to create a space, in which the mobile seat isplaced; wherein, when the deformable balloon is sat upon by the user,the balloon expands outwardly and is wedged in place in the space formedby the vertical connecting tubes; and wherein, when the deformableballoon is unoccupied by the user, the balloon assumes a substantiallyball-shape and is unrestrained by the vertical connecting tubes.
 2. Anergonomic seating unit according to claim 1, wherein the lower frame isprovided with castors.
 3. An ergonomic seating unit according to claim2, wherein the lower frame is provided with at least five castors.
 4. Anergonomic seating unit according to claim 2, wherein at least one of thecastors is provided with a brake.
 5. An ergonomic seating unit accordingto claim 2, wherein the lower frame is provided with at least fiveglides.
 6. An ergonomic seating unit according to claim 1, wherein thelower frame is provided with glides.
 7. An ergonomic seating unitaccording to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the U-shaped upperframe is covered by a padded cover.
 8. An ergonomic seating unitaccording to claim 7, wherein the padded cover comprises one of leather,of a textile or plastic material, and wherein the padded cover comprisesa hollow tube having a slit extending along a longitudinal lengththereof so that the padded cover can be slipped onto and off theU-shaped upper frame.
 9. An ergonomic seating unit according to claims8, wherein the padded cover is colored or provided with patterns.
 10. Anergonomic seating unit according to claim 1, wherein the U-shaped upperframe forms a backrest and an arm rest of the seating unit.
 11. Anergonomic seating unit according to claim 1, wherein the verticalconnecting tubes are made of at least two parts and equipped with atelescopic joint between those parts so that the total length of theconnecting tubes can be adjusted exactly to the measures of the user.12. An ergonomic seating unit according to claim 1, comprising aflexible backrest for supporting a back of the user, the flexiblebackrest being attached to the main frame so as to extend thereabove.13. An ergonomic seating unit according to claim 12, wherein theflexible backrest comprises an arched support arm for attachment to themain frame, the arm being attached to the arched support of the flexiblebackrest by an elastic damper.
 14. An ergonomic seating unit accordingto claim 1, further comprising a seat cover for covering the deformableballoon.
 15. An ergonomic seating unit according to claim 14, whereinthe seat cover is made of one of leather, of a textile or plasticmaterial.
 16. An ergonomic seating unit according to claim 15, whereinthe seat cover comprises; an upper panel having at least six holes, alower panel identical to the upper panel, and an elastic string made ofat least one piece and equipped with hooks to connect firmly and tightlythe upper and lower panels to one another.
 17. An ergonomic seating unitaccording to claim 1, wherein the deformable balloon is made of rubberor thermoplastic material.
 18. An ergonomic seating unit according toclaim 1, wherein the deformable balloon is filled with air and isprovided with a removable plug for filling and emptying air from theballoon.
 19. An ergonomic seating unit according to claim 1, wherein themain frame is formed of rigid tubes.